The present invention relates to systems and methods for efficiently releasing detachable magazines from firearms incorporating tool-actuated magazine-release mechanism with minimal deviation from normal firearm operating procedures.
Different types of firearms and firearm accessories have increased steadily over time in both functionality and flexibility, and today there is a wide variety of firearm modifications and/or accessories available. Innovation in the firearms industry is also driven by legislative trends, as firearm owners are required to respond by limiting the functionality of their firearms and/or accessories.
In recent times, Federal and/or State laws have limited features of semi-automatic firearms and/or also the capacity of firearm magazines. For example, in some jurisdictions, the use of detachable magazines with semi-automatic rifles is strictly regulated. To comply, the magazine-release mechanism of these semi-automatic rifles has to be modified to work only with a tool such as the bullet tip of a rifle cartridge. One common solution for semi-automatic AR-15 variants is to install a “bullet-button” magazine release assembly located on the right side of the firearm receiver to prevent the user from being able to remove a detachable magazine from the rifle without a tool.
Unfortunately, these AR-15 variants were designed for right-handed users, with the magazine release button located on the right side of the lower receiver so as to be manipulated by the index finger (the trigger finger) of the “firing” (right) hand according to the AR variants' normal operating procedure. As a result, releasing a magazine from an AR-15 variant incorporating a tool-actuated magazine-release mechanism with the left hand holding a magazine release tool is awkward at best. Alternatively, operating a magazine release tool with the right hand requires removing the firing (right) hand from the firearm's grip which results in substantially slower reloading speed.
It is therefore apparent that an urgent need exists for improved tool-actuated magazine-release mechanisms located on the left side of the rifle receiver for efficiently releasing magazines from AR-15 variant rifles using the support (left) hand of the user. These improved magazine-release mechanisms should enable users to quickly and effectively release magazines from rifles without removing the right (firing) hand from the grip of the rifle.